"This
is really historic," Baca said, referring to the low homicide rate, during a news conference at sheriff's headquarters in Monterey Park.

He said the decline in homicides makes for a positive
picture despite a slight upturn in so-called "Part 1" serious crime.

"We are feeling
positive despite the slight increase," he said.

Baca said gangs remain the most serious issue, as was underscored by an AK-47 gun battle between rival gangs Tuesday deputies came upon.

Because the Sheriff's Department patrols such a vast territory, there was a great deal of disparity in the numbers. The Crescenta Valley station saw a 4.3% drop in serious crimes; the Temple City and Compton stations also reported 5% declines.

But the Avalon station on Catalina Island experienced a 17% jump in serious crime. Serious crime climbed 10.9% in West Hollywood, 9.3% in the Carson area and 8.5% in Lancaster when compared to 2011.

The number of deputy-involved shootings rose from 37 in 2011 to 49 in 2012, but most of the increase came from non-hit shootings.

The Century station in Lynwood saw its number of homicides decline from 35 to 25.

The department's homicide bureau reported overall gang homicides rose 10.5% compared to 2011, when it includes killings it investigated in other non sheriff's area cities.